SPORTS
Sit 'em? Start 'em? Here's some ideas
We're five weeks into the NFL season and we've already seen plenty of surprises. The Lions are in first place.
ICE HOCKEY
MSU riding high into exhibitioner
MSU hockey head coach Rick Comley couldn't ask for a better start to the season. Last weekend, the Spartans went on the road and won the Lefty McFadden Invitational tournament in Dayton, Ohio with commanding victories against Wayne State and North Dakota, last year's national runner-up. It's the first time the Spartans have won their first two games since the 2001-02 season. "I always like to start two and zero," Comley said. The Spartans (2-0-0 overall) will hit the ice again at 7 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Spartans facing tough Big Ten road trip
Coming off a weekend in which it lost both its home matches, the MSU volleyball team won't find things any easier when they head on the road for two games against nationally-ranked opponents. The Spartans (9-7 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) will kick off their two-game road trip tonight against No.
SPORTS
Basketball kicks off at midnight madness
The men's and women's basketball seasons will officially begin tomorrow at their annual midnight madness event at Breslin Center. Doors open at 9:30 p.m., when players and coaches will be available to sign autographs. The program, whose theme this year is "A Spartan Salute," will begin at 11 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Seniors get ready for final hurrah
Mickey Davis, Brooke Langston, Megan Wallin and Marley Bellwood came into MSU together. They learned to play volleyball at a college level together.
SPORTS
Lerg, Vicari collect CCHA weekly honors
Junior goaltender Dominic Vicari and sophomore forward Bryan Lerg earned CCHA awards this week for their performances in the Lefty McFadden Invitational Tournament last weekend. Vicari was named CCHA goaltender of the week after stopping 40 of 41 shots in the tournament.
SPORTS
MSU hopes late-night practice helps break 3-game losing skid
The lights at the MSU Field Hockey Complex don't usually stay lit overnight, but this past weekend was a bit different. After its 4-2 loss to Connecticut on Saturday, the MSU field hockey team started practicing at 12:01 on Sunday morning — the earliest available time that the NCAA would permit — in preparation for today's battle at 4 p.m.
SPORTS
Parity flip-flops standings
The days of looking at the Big Ten Conference schedule and knowing which games will be won and lost are over.
SPORTS
MSU gets no goals, satisfaction from scoreless draw with Irish
It's the same old story for the MSU men's soccer team. The Spartans exited Tuesday's affair against Notre Dame at Old College Field with a 0-0 tie — their fifth tie in 12 games this season. "I'm getting tired of these," MSU head coach Joe Baum said.
ICE HOCKEY
Icers ascend rankings after tournament win
The MSU hockey team jumped seven spots to No. 10 in the www.uscho.com Division I Poll following wins against Wayne State and last year's national runner-up, North Dakota. With the victories, the Spartans captured the Lefty McFadden Invitational title in Dayton, Ohio, and now stand 2-0.
FOOTBALL
Goss still in as kicker, but several new faces nipping at his heels
After a week off, MSU's kicking game remains where it was before - on the foot of junior John Goss. But the competition is far from over, according to head coach John L.
SOCCER
MSU prepares for defensive battle
After getting shutout by the Fighting Irish in their past two meetings, the MSU men's soccer team will be looking for revenge at 4 p.m.
SPORTS
4-goal weekend earns Harris Player of Week
MSU senior forward Emma Harris was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after scoring four goals in a weekend sweep of Wisconsin and Northwestern. Harris leads the women's soccer team in points with 21 (10 goals and one assist). She has scored a goal in four of the past six games, and in that span, the Spartans are 4-1-1. MSU (8-3-3 overall, 4-1-0 Big Ten) heads to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes on Friday and then travels to Illinois on Sunday to face the Fighting Illini.
SPORTS
Monday musings
• Minnesota knocked off Michigan this weekend, effectively slicing the Little Brown Jugular on the Wolverines' season.
SPORTS
Field hockey losing skid now at 3 games
The MSU field hockey team extended its losing streak to a season-long three games Saturday as they fell 4-2 to Connecticut in Ann Arbor. The No.
VOLLEYBALL
MSU drops both matches on weekend homestand
This past weekend is one the MSU volleyball team would probably like to forget. After getting swept by Purdue on Friday, the Spartans (9-7 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) dropped a tough five-game match to Illinois on Saturday at Jenison Field House. Head coach Cathy George said the games were a sloppy effort from her team. "We had some unforced errors and hitting errors that were pivotal to the play," George said. MSU won the first game against Illinois (11-6 overall, 2-4 Big Ten), then lost the second. In the pivotal third game, the Spartans played well with a .396 hitting percentage and a team total of three blocks, but Illinois made several key plays down the stretch to give them the lead. With their backs against the wall, the Spartans bounced back, taking the fourth game from the visiting Illini. But Illinois again took control, winning the final game 15-12 for the victory. Illinois proved to be too strong defensively for the Spartans as they outblocked them 11-8. Sophomore outside hitter Ashley Schatzle provided some offensive spark for the Spartans.
SPORTS
Fluky win doesn't satisfy Lions fan
The Detroit Lions are now 2-2, and still in good shape in the NFC North. Gulp. They beat the Baltimore Ravens yesterday, which has everyone riding high once again on this franchise that's gone so wrong ever since Matt Millen took over as team president and general manager. I didn't count on them to beat Baltimore yesterday and I was a little surprised when I saw they were up 14-0 early on in the game.
SPORTS
Just for kicks
The MSU women's soccer team extended its winning streak to three games on Sunday by defeating Northwestern 2-1 at Old College Field. Despite being winless in the conference, the Wildcats presented problems for the Spartans throughout the game. "Northwestern is an excellent team - there's no way they should be struggling in the Big Ten," head coach Tom Saxton said.
SPORTS
Icers win tournament to open up season
The MSU hockey team won the Lefty McFadden Tournament, sweeping Wayne State on Saturday and North Dakota, the 2005 national runner-up, on Sunday in Dayton, Ohio. MSU sophomore forward Bryan Lerg (four points), senior forward David Booth (three) and junior defenseman Tyler Howells (two) were named to the all-tournament team. Sophomore forward Chris Mueller recorded two goals against the Fighting Sioux, and junior goaltender Dominic Vicari recorded the shutout with 25 saves in the 3-0 victory.
SOCCER
Tillman's shutout and McMahen's two goals give MSU its first Big Ten win of the season
The Spartans used stingy defense and two goals from senior co-captain and midfielder Ryan McMahen to defeat Ohio State 2-0 at Old College Field yesterday. The Spartans (4-3-4 overall, 1-1-1 Big Ten) took the lead off the foot of McMahen about 30 minutes into the contest.